notbob wrote:
>
> On 2004-08-24, Bob (this one) > wrote:
> > Peter Aitken wrote:
> >> "CM Bellers" > wrote in message
> >> m...
>
> I'll just scooch in here for a sec:
>
> The only thing I'd like to know about aluminum is, how the heck do you Brits
> get [OWL-you-min-ee-um] out of a-l-u-m-i-n-u-m? That's a whole freakin'
> extra syllable, for chrissakes! You just grab that 'ee' thingie right out
> of thin air and stick it right in there without a by your leave. I mean, I
> can see spanner and bonnet and all those other creaky old terms, but this is
> just bizarre. Is it retribution for our taking the 'bore' out of
> [LAB-rih-tory]? If so, then I understand ...and now we're even.
>
> Carry on.

ROTFL!
If one looks at the periodic chart of the elements:
http://www.webelements.com/, one instantly notices that the majority of
elements have names ending in '-ium'.
However, the American language has chosen to drop that in the case of
'aluminium' in favour of 'aluminum'. In British English the
pronunciation of aluminium follows the correct spelling of aluminium.

Carry on